Public meeting October 18

The Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Health have been working with General Electric/Black and Decker, and 3M over the last several months to develop plans for further testing in Brockport Creek Tributary #3. On June 20, the DEC held a public availability session to solicit comments on the draft plans. In response to comments on the plans, GE/Black & Decker, and 3M/Dynacolor have submitted new work plans that include significant revisions. Major changes include:

•Coordinated field activities. GE/Black and Decker and 3M will utilize an integrated field team for sample collection activities and will coordinate results reporting.

•Testing for additional contaminants. Although polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and cyanide remain a primary concern, the plans now address testing for metals and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) as well.

•Testing in additional areas. The plans address testing along piped sections of the storm sewer, in areas that were historically open stream channel (unpiped), and in certain areas identified through public comment.

Most of the soil samples will be located on 31 transects (lines of samples) positioned across the current stream channel of Tributary #3. Each transect or line of samples will be placed generally perpendicular to the stream, and samples will be collected at specific distances from the center of the stream. At each sample point, soil/sediment will be collected from the ground surface down to a depth of four feet. This soil/sediment will be split into five depth intervals prior to laboratory testing. As a result of these and other changes, the approved plans now include collection of approximately 1,250 sediment/soil samples. Although most of these samples will be collected along Tributary #3 in the residential area, between the Barge Canal and East Avenue, testing will also be performed to the north of East Avenue, up to the junction with Brockport Creek.

Although previous sampling has shown contamination in Tributary #3, additional testing is needed to determine the horizontal and vertical extent of the contamination. This information will show which soils will need to be excavated during future cleanup actions.

In addition to the soil/sediment sampling along Tributary #3, piped sections of the storm sewer will be inspected by video camera and possibly by human entry. This information will be used to design a cleanup plan for this part of the Tributary #3 drainage way.

GE/Black and Decker and 3M are negotiating access agreements with residential property owners, to get permission to sample at the proposed locations. Sampling on private parcels will not occur without the owner's permission. DEC will be providing oversight for the sampling activities and will be collecting split samples from selected locations for independent testing. Summary reports for all of the off-site testing will be submitted to the agencies approximately 12 weeks after completion of the sampling. The sampling will take place between October 8 and November 26.

The DEC will hold a public availability session regarding the plan at the Brockport Seymour Library on Thursday, October 18, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The meeting will be an open house format, with no formal presentation. Staff from DEC, DOH and MCHD will be available to answer questions about the approved work plans and other activities related to these sites.